Rewards
by PedanticCurmudgeon
Summary: Axel saves Roxas from being run over by a tram and is promptly punched for his efforts. AkuRoku. T for language. R&R please. AU. Drabble. T for language.


Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I hope Square Enix is happy now.

Note: wrote this to relieve some of my writer's block, and loved it. I hope you will too.

Title: Reward

Summary: Axel saves Roxas from being run over by a tram and is promptly punched for his efforts. AkuRoku. T for language. R&R please. AU

Axel was a semi-law-abiding citizen: he had a job, he payed his taxes, and he currently was renting out an apartment on Twilight Town's east side so that he'd be close to his job at the only ice cream parlor in town that sold sea-salt ice cream and conveniently doubled as a coffee shop so as to remain open year round.

That was his front at least. The one he used to hide the fact that he was an arsonist-for-hire and a petty shoplifter. However, working full time at the ice cream-coffee shop kept him busy, so he hadn't done anything for months.

He was a hero in his daydreams, one that saved stranded kitty-cats from trees and helped little old ladies cross the street. He constantly daydreamed when business was slow, and the only person who knew just what he was daydreaming was Roxas, a teenager only four years Axel's junior. Roxas would make up scenarios for him to play out in return for a longer break, and Axel quite enjoyed his company. However, the four year gap between the two was critical: Roxas was sixteen, a minor, and therefore untouchable. Not only that, but Roxas had made it clear that he wouldn't put up with any nonsense from Axel, who was openly homosexual.

Roxas' rejection only made Axel frustrated. Roxas was homosexual, though he probably didn't know it yet. Axel _knew_, he just knew, in the same way that sisters will _know_ simultaneously that their mother has just died. But he let Roxas continue with his life, waiting for the opportunity to prove Roxas' orientation and win him over.

He also wanted to prove to Roxas that he was a hero, and he waited constantly for his chance, though he often failed to 'rescue' Roxas. Axel was not easily discouraged, however, and kept watch over Roxas like a mother hen. Roxas was rather weary of Axel's attempts to rescue him from falling brooms and empty cardboard boxes, not to mention open cabinet doors, but he let him carry on, figuring that it was just better to go along with it.

Finally, Axel's opportunity to prove he was a hero knocked. Rather loudly, in fact.

"It's cold today." Roxas said, shaking the snow off his sneakers and putting on the uniform the shop's employees were required to wear. It had been snowing on and off all week, although nothing had begun to stick until that day.

"Not really. I walked here in a t-shirt and shorts." Axel said, checking his spiky red hair in his reflection in the window.

"That's just because you're a freak." Roxas teased, referring to the fact that no matter the temperature, Axel never got cold and could walk around in freezing weather in clothing people would normally wear during the hottest months of the year.

"You wound me. _Not_. Think anyone will come in today?"

"Beats me. I'm just glad this place doubles as a coffee shop too so that I can have a job all year." Roxas said, handing Axel a broom and dustpan.

"Me, too, Rox." Axel turned away from the window. "Let's have some hot chocolate while we wait for some customers to show up."

That was the perk of working at this place: (depending on the season) workers got free drinks or ice cream—so long as they didn't go overboard.

"Okay. You want it choked with marshmallows?" Roxas grinned; he found it amusing that Axel preferred to have more marshmallows than hot chocolate in his cup.

"Does sea-salt ice cream taste both salty and sweet?" the older male replied, making a dust pile in the middle of the floor and then scooping it up.

By the end of the day, only six people had come in: Roxas' friends Hayner, Pence, and Olette; and Axel's friends Demyx, Xion, and Naminé.

"Watch your step out there, Xion said it was beginning to ice." Axel said as Roxas prepared to leave.

"Yes, _Mom._"

Axel watched him stroll away through the snow carelessly, obviously not heeding his warning, then turned his attention back to his magazine. He had read only a few lines when a sense of unease crept over him; he glanced out the window just as Roxas' foot hit some of the ice Axel had cautioned him about and he fell. Roxas' hands had been in his pockets, he couldn't pull them out in time to halt his fall; he hit the ground hard, and did not get up again.

"Shit!" Axel swore loudly, dashing out of the ice cream parlor-coffee shop. The tram was coming: if he didn't reach Roxas before the tram…

No. No. Best not to think about that.

Axel ran, slipping and stumbling the entire way to Roxas and yanked him out of the tram's path just as it reached the spot Roxas' body had been only milliseconds ago.

_Well whaddyaknow? I guess I'm a hero now._ Axel thought, feeling rather pleased with himself. He grew even more pleased when he thought he might even receive a medal of honor for saving his young coworker's life. Axel… The Hero. Yes, that sounded about right.

He pulled Roxas into his arms and turned toward the shop, only to receive a blow to the face. He staggered, somehow maintaining his balance and his grip on his friend.

"You pervert! Put my brother down now!" someone yelled.

Axel blinked. _What?_

"Your brother? What—Oh, you must be Sora!" Axel had never met Roxas' hyperactive twin before; Roxas insisted it was because Sora was always busy with his friends Riku and Kairi, but Axel had heard from numerous sources that Sora was a pain in the ass and suspected Roxas had specifically told his brother to stay the hell away from him while he was working.

"Yes! Now put him down!"

Axel opened his mouth to tell the annoying teen exactly what was going on, but Roxas chose that moment to wake up.

"Sora! Shut up! You're making my head hurt."

"But—"

"Shush!"

"Okay." Sora said, pouting. It seemed Roxas was the more dominant of the two.

"Rox, you need the hospital." Axel said, noticing the bump growing on the back of his friend's head.

Roxas looked up at Axel and realized just why his brother had looked so short.

"I fell, huh."

"Pretty hard. You were almost Roxas mush; I had to pull you out of the path of the tram." Axel said, teasing Roxas just a bit.

"Oh. Thank you. I guess I owe you one."

"Big time."

After that, Roxas didn't seem to mind when Axel offered to walk him home—Axel personally made sure Roxas knew it was because he didn't want a tram to run Roxas over, and it became something of an inside joke between the two of them.

Two years later, on Roxas' eighteenth birthday, Roxas came out to his parents and was promptly kicked out of the house. Axel welcomed him to his apartment with open arms and "I knew it all along."

A/N: So, kind of fluffy. Somewhat. R&R, tell me if you liked. I need to some reviews so I can kick my ass into gear and get back to work on my other story (which I have been neglecting for a loooooong time.) If you're a Naruto fan (which probably isn't likely…. But I'll try anyway) take a peek?

I'm considering a sequel to this, but it'll probably be awhile before I get it up, so if you really want to read it, message me and I'll get on it straightaway.


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